Democratic Party chief Lee Wing-tat has admitted there is a price to pay for backing scandal-stricken James To Kun-sun - but forcing him to quit the Legislative Council might be more damaging.
'There is no perfect decision. We can't guess the price to pay for doing it in either way,' Mr Lee said.
'We are convinced his integrity is not an issue. Colleagues in his Kowloon West district branch did not want him to resign. There's no reason for us to pressure him to go. To do so could result in serious damage to the party.'
The elected member of the Kowloon West geographical constituency is in hot water after a three-member panel appointed by the party found irregularities in his office-renting controversy had been left unanswered. Mr To was found to have sought rent allowances at an above-market price for an office he co-owned with other party colleagues. The case is under review by the Independent Commission Against Corruption. Pressure is mounting for him to quit Legco.
Accompanied by party colleagues, Mr To apologised again for administrative chaos in the rent scandal. He insisted he did not have an integrity problem and would not bow out.
Ma Ngok, a University of Science and Technology political scientist, said the party leadership was partly to blame for the scandal because of its poor handling of the case.
